Former President Donald Trump's decision not to participate in the Republican National Committee's primary debate on Wednesday could give some candidates an opening to dazzle undecided Republican voters.
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) are communicating relatively different messages to voters, and without Trump at the debate to pull attention away, they have a chance to capitalize on the event and boost their standing in the competition.
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Nikki Haley
Haley is the only woman in the 2024 Republican primary field and will similarly be the only woman on the debate stage on Wednesday. This will provide something with which she can contrast herself with her opponents.
"I think they're ready for a woman who's going to go in there and get it done. We're results oriented. We know how to bounce multiple balls at the same time, and we don't play the nonsense drama. I think it's time," she said recently to NBC News.
As an Indian American, Haley is also expected to remind voters of her parents' story.
"They came to America and settled in a small Southern town. My father wore a turban. My mother wore a sari. I was a brown girl in a black-and-white world. We faced discrimination and hardship, but my parents never gave in to grievance and hate," she has described. After being raised by immigrants, Haley became the first woman governor of South Carolina and only the second governor in the country of Indian descent.
Haley also has an opportunity to highlight her foreign policy-focused message onstage. China has been one of the most important points for her on the campaign trail, and she was the first in the field to suggest suspending normal trade relations with the country.
A Haley adviser told the Washington Examiner, "Nikki Haley will tell the American people about her record of standing up for this country and sharing her vision for how she will make America strong and proud again. She'll always stand up for what she believes in."
Vivek Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy, who has been referred to as a novelty candidate by some strategists, is likely to benefit from the environment of an onstage debate. The millennial Indian American entrepreneur is a good performer, according to GOP strategist David Kochel. His comfort in the spotlight was demonstrated by an impromptu rendition of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" at the Iowa State Fair earlier this month.
Political scientists have also pointed out that because Ramaswamy is independently wealthy from his business expenditures, partnered with the fact that he doesn't rely on a large high-dollar donor or super PAC operation, he is much less restrained than other candidates.
"He doesn't seem constrained by much," University of Denver Center on American Politics Director Seth Masket said. "He's willing to make fairly strong and provocative arguments, but also without seeming uninformed — he clearly has some knowledge of policy detail. You can at least back up and defend the things he's saying," Masket said.
His off-the-cuff nature sets Ramaswamy up to be the most likely candidate to have a breakout "moment" during the debate, according to strategists and political scientists.
Tim Scott
Scott, a senator in South Carolina, is expected to continue his message that he is not an exception among black people but an example of the progress that has been made.
When hosts of the popular daytime talk show The View claimed that Scott was merely an exception among black people, he responded, "That is a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today, that the only way to succeed is by being the exception. ... I'm gonna suggest the fact of the matter is that progress in America is palpable."
His message is a particularly optimistic one that contrasts with opponents who may come off as negative as they address problems with the Biden administration. The campaign is hoping that Scott's positive message will provide a refreshing alternative that will attract voters.
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The South Carolina Republican has also positioned himself as having one of the most faith-based campaigns. He has spent time courting the evangelical vote specifically, an important component of the Republican coalition.
Scott has focused on the group by doing media hits aimed at the group by joining various Christian radio stations and podcasts. He's also done television appearances on networks that cater to Christians, such as the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Trinity Broadcasting Network.